Tufting machine



April 21, 194 2. J o s' 2,280,212 y I TUFTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1938 I s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jomv H. BOYLES,

April 21, 1942. J. H. BoYLEs' 'I'UF'TING MACHINE Filed 06.12. 25; 1938 s shee s-Sheet 2 w mil .1 j

Patented Apr. 21, 1942 TUFTING MACHINE John H. Boyles, Rome, Ga., assignor to The Dellinger Spread Company, Rome, Ga., a company of Georgia Application October 25, 1938, Serial No. 236,930

11 Claims. (Cl. 112--79) This invention relates to tufting machines and more particularly to a tufting machine attachment for use with sewing machines of a conventional type having the usual vertically reciprocal needle, and associated fabric feeding mechanism.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines which shall comprise a novel form of thread looper and. cutter members constructed and arranged to cooperate with a thread carrying needle to form loops and tufts in a base fabric in a more eflicient and uniform manner than heretofore accomplished by similar devices. Another object of the invention is to provide a tufting machine attachment of the character designated including a novel arrangement of looper hook and independently mounted cooperating cutter member for severing the loops of thread formed thereon. g e

A further objectof the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character designated inwhich the independently mounted looper and cutter members which shall be provided with novel adjustable mounting devices for these parts to facilitate the relative timing movement thereof to form thread loops of different sizes as well as provide for wear of the parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of combined looper and needle .guide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified arrangement of thread looper and cutter members which shall be mounted independently of each other and rigidly connected to the respective operating shafts supporting the same in the desired cooperative position.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a novel thread looper and cutter unitconstruction in which the number of moving parts shall be reduced to a minimum, more durable in construction, and more eflicientin operation than similar apparatus heretofore proposed.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following specification and drawings and specifically set forth in the claims- In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine embodying the novel tufting attachment;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front end view in ele- .vation of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front end view in elevation of apparatus shown. in Fig. 2 illustrating the formation of a thread loop; 7 a

unit is mounted so as to operate in the path Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary front sectional view in elevation showing pile fabric loops during formation and severin Fig. 5 is a side view partially in action of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown a conventional type of sewing machine head indicated by the numeral ID. This head includes the usual arrangement of a base plate H and a housing arm l2 upon which is mounted a casing head portion l3. This casing head [3 includes the usual operating mechanism for a Vertically reciprocable needle bar l4 with its thread carrying needle l5 and the associated presser foot bar mechanism indicated by the numeral l6. Underneath the base plate H is mounted a pair of parallel rock shafts l'l-l8 which are connected to operate feed mechanism indicated by the numeral I 9 for moving a base fabric in cooperation with the needle and presser foot as well understood in the art. These devices are operated in synchronism from a common source of power indicated by the flywheel 20, and being a Well known and conventional type of sewing machine, no further description is believed necessary.

One important feature of the proposed tufting attachment unit is that it shall be attached to certain of the regular sewing machine base parts with a minimum alteration thereof. At the forward end of the base H and projecting downwardly from the bottom thereof is a pair of integrally formed spaced projections 2|-22 and an intermediate bearing projection 23, Fig. 5, and itis to this base structure that the novel tufting of the needle.

My invention contemplates a tufting device which may readily be applied to the conventional type of sewing machine and includes a bearing block member 24 adapted to fit between the projections ii-22 and arranged to support a novel form of thread looper member 25 and independently mounted cooperating thread cutter member 26, hereinafter more fully described.

The attachment constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention includes the bearing block 24 mounted between the frame projections 2I-22 and rigidly secured in the bearing member 23 by a single bolt connection 21 havmg a head 28 countersunk in the bearing block as indicated at 29. V

This bearing block supports a central longitudinally disposed rock shaft 30 which is mounted in the block 24 and a rear bearing plate 3| rigidly attached to the underside of the base II. The shaft 30 is connected to the power mechanism by a link arm connection indicated by the numeral 32. This shaft 30 rocks with a small amplitude of movement and its end terminates adjacent to the front face of the block 24 so as to oscillate the looper 25 through a horizontal arcuate path in close proximity to the Vertical path of movement of the needle l5. The looper is rigidly connected to the shaft 39 by an adjustable link arm 33 and includes a rod 34 having the upper end terminating into a substantially fiat thread receiving hook portion 35. The arm 33 is secured to the end of shaft by a tap screw 36, and the rod 34 projecting through the link arm 33 is secured in vertically adjustable position by a tap screw 31. The tap screw 31 enables the looper hook 35 to be moved vertically relative to the eye of the needle I5, while the adjustment screw 36 permits an angular adjustment of the horizontal path of movement of the looper relative to the vertical path of the needle as well as permitting the link arm 33 to be moved laterally along the shaft 30. It will be noted that this simple arrangement enables the looper to be independently adjusted in three directions relative to the needle as well as to the associated cutter 25 which is a separate and independent element.

Located beneath the looper hook and formed integrally with the looper body member 34 is a hollow guide element 38 which projects forwardly and upwardly toward the looper hook for the purpose of receiving and guiding the needle l5 relative to the looper hook. This is of particular importance in that it insures the needle passing on the proper side of the looper and thus minimizes any possibility'of the looper and the needle fouling one another and damaging these parts.

Associated with the looper shaft 33 is a short parallel rock shaft 39 located in substantially the same horizontal plane. The front end of this shaft is mounted in the bearing block 24 i and the rear end is supported in a bearing bracket 40 secured to the base H. The front end of the shaft 39 projects through the bearing block 24 in close proximity to the end of the looper drive shaft 38. The shaft 39 is connected larly adjustable relative to their respective shafts by means of tap screws 44 and 45.

The knife or cutter member 26 embodied in this construction is preferably an upwardly extending yieldable spring steel blade member rigidly connected to the shaft 39 by means of an adjustable mounting arm link 45. The arm is secured on the rockshaft 39 by means of a tap screw 41 so that the link arm 46 may be angularly adjustable relative to its operating shaft 39. The knife blade 26 is mounted in a head portion 48 of the link by means of a set screw 49. The link is adjustable in length by means of a coupling connection 50 and associated tap screw 5! It will be observed that these adjustments provide for changing the position of the path of movement of the cutter member in three direcwhereby the knife is mounted and adjusted independently of the looper although each cooperates with the other to form thread loops in a base fabric and sever the same to make the desired tufts.

Another feature of this particular construction is that the cutter member is vertically inclined to the looper member and comprises a spring steel blade having a cutting edge 52 which yieldably engages and rides along the base of the looper hook. The arrangement is such that the blade having variable rate ofmovement between the cutter and looper provides a scissors action to sever the loops of thread as they are moved rearwardly on the looper hook by the action of the feed mechanism IS in moving a base fabric 53 through the machine, where loops are formed from the thread 54 as shown in Fig. 4.

By providing an L-shaped bearing block 24 at the front of the machine which shall fit into a standard base part of the conventional type sewing machine, the looper and cutter parts are attached as a fixed unit. This novel arrangement also enables the number of moving parts to be reduced to a minimum and readily accessible for adjustment, repair or replacement whenever necessary for any reason.

Having thus described a novel form of tufting machine it is obvious that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A tufting attachment for a sewing machine having a vertically reciprocable needle comprising a bearing block, a pair of longitudinally disposed parallel rock shafts separately mounted in said block and projecting through the front face thereof in side by side spaced relation, a looper hook rigidly mounted at the end portion of one shaft and adapted to oscillate horizontally across the path of said needle, a cutter member rigidly mounted at the end portion of the other shaft and adapted to engage the looper hook and oscillate vertically in shearing contact with an edge portion of the looper hook, and means for bodily moving the cutter member in a radial direction relative to its shaft for changing the amplitude of movement relative to the looper and independently of the looper.

2. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 1, in which the looper and cutter members are independently mounted on their respective shafts and each independently adjustable relative to the needle in three directions, and independent of any other sewing machine parts.

3. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 1, in'which the cutter member is mounted on a support arm and is directed at an angle to the cooperating looper hook and movable in yieldable engagement therewith, and means for twisting the support arm to regulate the contact pressure of the cutter member with the looper hook.

4. A tufting attachment for a sewing machine having a vertically reciprocable needle, an L- shaped bearing block for supporting a pair of longitudinally disposed parallel rock shafts located in a horizontal plane and having their ends terminating adjacent'to the path of movement of the needle, a looper hook member mounted at the end portion of one of the shafts and adapted to oscillate horizontally across the path of the needle, a vertically disposed cutter member having a work table base, a reciprocating needle,

parallel work feed rock shafts associated with said base and power means for operating the same, said attachment including a depending bracket member having one end rigidly secured to a lug on the underside of said base, a pair of spaced openings formed in the lower portion of said bracket, a pair of longitudinally disposed rock shafts projecting through and supported in said openings and terminating substantially in the vertical plane of reciprocation of the needle, a looper member rigidly mounted on one shaft for receiving loops of thread from the needle, a cooperating cutter member rigidly mounted on the other shaft, and means connecting the power means for operating the cutter and looper shafts independently of the needle and the work feed mechanism.

6. In a tufting machine attachment fora sewing machine having a reciprocable needle and one end of said second shaft and adapted to move in shearing contact with said looper, a direct connection between said shafts whereby said first shaft drives the second shaft in the same direction of movement, and means included in the connection means for permitting the change of the relative amplitude of movement of the shafts independently of one another. i 8.. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 6 in which the looper member is mounted on its shaft by a horizontally disposed arm extending radially to one side of the shaft, means for mounting the cutter on its shaft including an arm extending radially of said shaft and adjacent the free end of the looper arm and in overlapping relation with the looper arm, whereby the cutterand looper elements move in opposite directions with a shearing contact relation when operating mechanism therefor, a longitudinal V oscillatable rock shaft, means for directly connecting said shaft to said needle operating mechanism, a looper member rigidly mounted on the free end of said rock shaft and adapted to oscillate relative to the needle, a second oscillatable rock shaft mounted parallel to said first shaft, a cutter member rigidly mounted on the free end of said second shaft and adapted to move in shearing contact with said looper, a direct connection between said shafts whereby said first shaft drives the second shaft in the same direction of arcuate movement, and means for adjusting the connection on each shaft whereby said shafts may rock in the same direction and with a different amplitude of movement.

7. In a tufting machine attachment for a sewing machine having areciprocable needle and operating mechanism therefor, a longitudinal rockshaft, means for directly connecting said shaft to said needle operating mechanism, a looper member rigidly mounted on one end of said rock shaft and adapted to move relative to the needle, a second shaft mounted parallel to said first shaft, a cutter member rigidly mounted on the shafts rotate in the samedirection. 9. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 6 in which the loo-per member includes a vertical shaft member terminating in a fiat head portion, a forwardly extending loop engaging finger memberformed integrally therewith and having a blade portion adjacent the head por-' tion, whereby the cutter wipes along the looper blade to sever the loops first formed thereon.

10. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 6 in which the looper member includes a vertical shaft member terminating in a flat head portion, a forwardly extending loop engaging finger member formed integrally therewith and having a blade portion adjacent the head portion, and a needle guide formed integral with the flat portion of the looper head and extending forwardly and upwardly from the base of the flat head portion and beyond the end of the looper finger. I

11.,Appa'ratus of the character designated in claim 6 in which the cutter member includes a vertically extending blade member having an upper edge in shearing contact with the looper member, an arm rigidly mounted on the second tion of the blade relative to its operating shaft and the looper member.

JOHN H. BOYLES. 

